Game-table



(Modeh) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

' J. LECHNERi GAME TABLE. v No. 248,933. Patented Nov. 1,1881.

INVENTQR I N. PETERS. PlwmLixhe m her, Washin ton. D. c.

WITNESSES (ModeL) 2 Sheets$heet 2.

J. LECHNER. v

GAME TABLE. No.- 248,988. Patented'Nov. 1,1881.

UNiTED STATES PATENT Orrica.

JOHN LEGHNER, OF FARIBAULT, MINNESOTA.

GAME-TABLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 248,933, dated November 1, 1881.

Application filed July 18, 1881.

To all whom it may concern Be itknown that 1', JOHN LECHNER, of Faribault, in the county of Rice and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Game-Tables; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings, torming a part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical section of the invention. Fig.2 is a top-plan view of the same. Figs. 3 and 4 are end elevations,- with the casing removed, showing the means for elevating the balls to the incline.

Similar letters of reference in the several figures denote the same parts.

Thisinvention consists ofan improved gametable constructed and operated substantially as I will now proceed to describe.

Referring to thedrawings, A represents the table proper, having an inclosed inclined way, B, extending from the rear end, E, along the side 0 and around to the middle of the front end, D, where it leads through an opening, (I, in the inclosing-wa-ll, to the top of the table, as shown. The rear portion, E, has an opening, 0, in its inner wall, also leading to the top of the table. Below the table is arranged a vibratory lever or operating-arm, F, hung upon an axis or pivot,f, at or nearits middle. The front end of this lever projects through a slot in the end casing and constitutes an operatinghandle, while its rear end is connected to an elevator, G, operating within the inclosed end portion, E. The elevator consists of a series of vertical fingers, g g 9 mounted at their lower ends upon a cross-bar, h, secured to the end of the lever, as shown. Between the fingers g g is located a stationary partition, Land between the fingers g and g there is a similar longer partition, i.

J are a series of pins, nine (more or less) in number, placed upon the top of the table, or, preferably, upon a part, A, slightly elevated above the general surface of the table, and having connected to them cords k, which pass down through perforations in the table and part A, and are fastened at their lower ends to the vibratory lever, as shown. When the lever is vibrated in one direction all the cords are drawn taut, and the pins are made to stand up;

(Model) but when in the other direction said pins are left standing, but unsupported save by their weight, and can be knocked down by a ball or balls striking against them.

In playing the game, anumber of small balls, at, are employ ed. and before starting they are all placed at the rear end of the tablein a groove, a, which inclines from both directions toward the opening 0. Upon, the handle of the lever being raised the pins J are all made to stand up in an upright position, as shown in Fig. 1. At the same time one of the balls m rolls into the opening a and onto the upper end of the first vertical lifting-finger, g. The handle of the arm then being depressed, the said ball is raised until it rolls off onto the top of the first stationary partition, '2', and against the side of the second lifting-finger, g. Upon the raising of the handle a second time another ball rolls in on top of the first lifting-finger, g, while at the same time the first ball rolls from the top of the first partition to the top of the second lifting-finger g. The handle being then again depressed, the first ball is lifted to the top of the second partition, 41, and the ball number two to the top of the first partition. Another raising of the handle causes the third ball to roll in onto the first lifting-finger, the second ball to roll onto the secondfiuger, and the first ball to roll onto the third finger. The handle is then depressed once more, and the first ball rolls otf its supporting-finger onto the incline B, down which it travels, and is discharged through the opening 61 onto the top of the table,or rather the raised partA, and along the same against the pins, some or all of which it knocks down. It then runs down back into the groove from whence it started. All the other balls in the elevator are at the same time advanced one step. At the next vibration of the lever all the pins are again reset, while another ball is liberated and rolls down as before.

To insure the transfer of the balls from the tops of the lifting-fingers to the tops of the stationary partitions, and from thence to the succeeding lifting-fingers, and so on, the tops of both fingers and partitions are inclined slightly in the direction of the advance of the balls, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4.

The handle is preferably provided with a which the handle plays.

spriug-catcl1,l, on its side, which, when the handle is lowered, is adapted to engage with a locking-shoulder, n, in the side of the slot in This catch is for the purpose of preventing the accidental displacement of the lever when the ballis rolling down the incline, which the weight of the elevator and the balls in it might otherwise occasion.

By raising the part A above the general level of the table-top the balls, if they rebound, strike against the edge of said raised portion, and do not disturb any remaining pins not knocked down by the direct impact of the balls.

I claim as my invention- 1. The combination, with the table having the inclined groove for directing the balls to the elevator-opening, of the elevator consisting of the vertically-sliding lifting-fingers and the stationary partitions, and the incline for directing the balls from the elevator back to the front of the table, substantially as described.

2. The vertically-sliding lifting-fingers and the stationary partitions having their upper ends inclined, substantially as and for the purpose described.

3. The combination, with the table, of the vibratory operating-lever, the pins connected by strings to the lever, the lifting-fingers, the stationary portion, and the inclined way for directing the balls back to the front end of the table, substantially as described. 

